Love and Life eBook

as Mr. Belamour was the superior in age and position,
the matter might have been composed, but the young
man was fiery and hot tempered, and would neither
retract nor apologise; and Mr. Belamour had been stung
in his tenderest feeling. They fought with pistols,
an innovation that, as you know, my father hates,
as far more deadly and unskilful than the noble practice
of fencing; and the result was that Mr. Sedhurst was
shot dead, and Mr. Belamour received a severe wound
in the head. The poor young lady, being always
of a delicate constitution, fell into fits on hearing
the news, an died in a few weeks. The unfortunate
Mr. Belamour survives, but whether from injury to the
brain, or from grief and remorse, he has never been
able to endure either light or company, but has remained
ever since in utter darkness and seclusion.”

“Utter darkness! How dreadful!”
cried Aurelia, shuddering.

“How long has this been, sister?” inquired
Harriet.

“About nine years,” said Betty.
“The lamentable affair took place just before
Sir Jovian’s death, and the shock may have hastened
it, for he had long been in a languishing state.
It was the more unfortunate, since he had made Mr.
Belamour sole personal guardian to his only surviving
son, and appointed him, together with my father and
another gentleman, trustee for the Belamour property;
and there has been much difficulty in consequence
of his being unable to act, or to do more than give
his signature.”

“Ah! sister, I wish you had not told me,”
said Aurelia. “I shall dream of the unfortunate
gentleman all night. Nine years of utter darkness!”

“We know who is still child enough to hate darkness,”
said Harriet.

“Take care,” said Betty. “You
must make haste, or I shall leave you to it.”

CHAPTER III. AMONG THE COWSLIPS.

The insect youth are on the
wing,
Eager to taste the honeyed
spring,
And
float amid the liquid noon,
Some lightly on the torrent
skim,
Some show their gaily gilded
trim,
Quick
glancing to the sun.—­Gray

Though hours were early, the morning meal was not
served till so late as really to deserve the title
of breakfast.

When the three sisters sat down at nine-o’clock,
in mob caps, and the two younger in white dresses,
all had been up at least two hours. Aurelia led
forward little Eugene in a tailed red coat, long-breasted
buff waistcoat, buff tights and knitted stockings,
with a deep frilled collar under the flowing locks
on his shoulders, in curls which emulated a wig.
She had been helping him to prepare “his tasks”
from the well-thumbed but strongly-bound books which
had served poor Archie before him. They were
deposited on the window-seat to wait till the bowls
of bread and milk were discussed, since tea and coffee
were only a special afternoon treat not considered
as wholesome for children; so that Aurelia had only
just been promoted to them, along with powder and
fan.